


canines and playtimes

by catpoop



Series: Sheith Month 2017 [14]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Adopted Children, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, First Meetings, Fluff, M/M, SheithMonth2k17, keith walks his ... kid, parks, shiro walks his dog
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-29
Updated: 2017-08-29
Packaged: 2018-12-21 06:53:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,209
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11938662
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/catpoop/pseuds/catpoop
Summary: Sheith Month '17 - 20/8: RocketKeith isn't entirely sure why he'd ever bought Leo that damned rocket launcher, especially when he ends up nailing the only attractive guy in the parkright in the face





	canines and playtimes

**Author's Note:**

> is this in any way related to [soft, and of quiet surroundings](http://archiveofourown.org/works/11748396)?  
> who knows.
> 
> thank you to everyone who has read/liked/commented on my other sheith month fics <3

Honestly, Keith should’ve known beforehand that any child of his (adopted or no) would be as much a nuisance as he once was. He stares in disbelief as Leo openly jeers at the poor man he’s just nailed square in the face with his foam rocket launcher and scrambles to his feet, hoping to do some kind of damage control before the situation can escalate.

He eyes the hulk of a man currently rubbing his nose in shock and runs to save his child. The corded biceps look even more threatening up close.

Hastily, Keith clamps a firm hand to Leo’s shoulder, trying his best to telepathically tell the little devil to drop his annoying grin. That’s because, of course, he’s currently staring at the victim of Leo’s rocket, noting the scar across his nose as he lowers his hand, the shaven hairstyle. Threatening. Not someone adult Keith would pick a fight with (younger Keith is another matter, of course).

Tugging Leo closer to him, he shallowly dips his head. “I’m sorry about that – it was an accident, and Leo, _Leo_ , say sorry!”

To his horror, Leo belligerently shakes his head. “No!”

“Leo, I _swear_ to God –”

He’s interrupted by a surprisingly gentle voice. “Uh, it’s okay. I’m sure he didn’t mean to do that, and um,” he glances down at the demon child impatiently hopping up and down, “why don’t we let Leo go back to his rocket?”

Said rocket is already in Leo’s hands, because he’d run over to the man with the intent of retrieving his weapon, not apologising. Sighing, Keith lets go of his shoulder. “Okay, okay, you can go play. But no more aiming it at people!”

Leo runs off before he’s finished his sentence. Resigned, Keith watches his son toddle on short legs back to the rocket launcher, wondering when he’d truly decided it was time to adopt, and by himself, no less.

Maybe since the first time he’d returned to the orphanage, to meet a new generation of lost, wide-eyed gazes. Or ever since Hunk and Lance moved in next doors with their own little girl, Malie. And since he worked from home, it would be easier to care for a kid. Or at least, that’s what he told himself. (He can always safely deposit Leo into Hunk-and-Lance’s hands whenever he’s too busy, anyway.)

He’s pulled from his thoughts by a polite cough. “He’s your – son?”

The man with his white forelock and strange scar is still standing next to him. Keith imperceptibly flinches.

“Oh. Yeah.” Well, seeing as the majority in the park before them are parent-children groups, it shouldn’t come as a surprise. That’s when he realises the man is just attempting to make small-talk.

“What are you doing here?” Keith blurts, trying not to sound too accusing. “And – uh – I’m Keith.”

“Nice to meet you, Keith. I’m Shiro.” Shiro quirks an amused brow, holding out a polite hand that Keith warily shakes. “And I’m _trying_ to walk my dog, but, well…” He nods at a black dog a short distance away, its tail wagging as it circles a tree. “ _That,_ and your charming son,” he chuckles, and Keith quickly turns to scan Shiro’s face for any injury. Nothing, thankfully.

“I’m sorry about him,” Keith repeats, but Shiro is quick to brush off his apology.

“It’s no big deal; he’s just a kid having fun.” Well, a _rude_ kid. “Are you here by yourself?” Shiro adds.

“No, I’m –” Keith stares, “I’m here with my son.” This was probably what all the adults meant about talking to strangers – confusing and stressful, like navigating a minefield. He stares up at the taller man.

“No, no,” Shiro laughs, “I mean – not with your partner? Leo seems like a handful to handle by yourself.”

Together, they turn to said child, wincing a little as Leo throws all his body weight on the plastic pump, cheering when the foam rocket shoots off into the trees. _Should’ve bought something else for him,_ Keith thinks, even as he appreciates the way childish delight possesses Leo’s entire body, so at odds to when he’d picked him up from the orphanage just a year or two ago.

“No, I –” he turns back to Shiro, distracted, “No partner.”

“Oh?” Maybe it’s his imagination, but Shiro’s eyes shine a little brighter.

“Yeah. So I’m forever grateful that I can hand him over to my neighbours whenever I get too overwhelmed.”

Shiro snorts, amused. “That’s generous of them.”

“Yeah.” Leo is retrieving his rocket off the edge of a picnicking family’s table, and Keith bites back the instinct to run over. “Yeah, it is.”

There’s a short pause, a hiccup in the conversation as Shiro stares off to where his dog has moved on to sniff another tree and Keith continues to wonder if toy rockets should soon be banned in the household.

“Y’know,” Keith startles at Shiro’s voice. “Maybe Black could fetch Leo’s rocket for him every time, so he won’t have to – uh –”

Keith turns to scan the park, panicking when he can’t find Leo on the first try – and then he notices the telltale blue shorts and skinny legs sticking out of a bush a distance away from the rocket launcher. Keith sighs.

“Maybe that’d be a good idea.” Leo still hasn’t extricated himself. “Just wait – I’ll go rescue him.”

He jogs off, suddenly perplexed as to why he’d asked a _stranger_ to wait for him, as though they were friends.

Leo re-emerges with a sharp tug and a few broken branches, grinning from ear to ear with the rocket clutched in one chubby hand.

“Hello!”

“Don’t hurt yourself, okay?”

Leo cocks his head to the right, but otherwise gives no indication of even hearing what he’d said. His eyes drift off to a spot behind Keith, quickly distracted.

“Hey, look at that –”

“Woof!” Keith jumps a mile in the air when something noses at the back of his leg, and of course – it’s Shiro. Well no, Shiro’s dog, owner attached by leash.

“Oh. Hey.”

“Looks like you got Leo out alright?” 

It’s only been a few minutes since he’d last talked to Shiro, but somehow the man’s already caught up to him, dog in tow. Said dog is currently slobbering over Leo’s affections.

“Takes more than a plant to take him out.” The bush came out worse in the fight, that’s for certain.

Shiro’s answering chuckle lights a glow in his chest. “What about thirty kilos of hyperactive dog?”

“Well…” Keith glances over to where Leo’s shrieking and chasing Black in circles. “Doubt it.”

\-----

They have to part ways eventually, once the sky starts to dim with the promise of an early sunset. Shiro promises to Leo that he’ll be here with Black tomorrow, and the day after, and the day after that. And Keith – Keith promises he’ll do the same. Just to see that big smile on Leo’s face again, and not for any … ulterior motives.

Shiro’s hand is warm as he passes a half-chewed foam rocket to Keith, after tugging it out of Black’s mouth. “Here. See you tomorrow?”

“Yeah, see you.” He tries not to stare too long as Shiro’s retreating back. Leo tugs impatiently at his hand.

“C’mon, Dad!”

“O – Oh, yeah. Of course.”

**Author's Note:**

> yay
> 
> @swummeng-geys.tumblr.com (feel free to request fics?)  
> twitter: @hashtag_yikes


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